Kane Wins First Ballon d’Or; Putellas Claims 2026 Féminin Award in Delayed Ceremony

  • October 27, 2026

Harry Kane is the recipient of the 2026 men’s Ballon d’Or, marking an exceptional year for the 33-year-old England and Bayern Munich forward. Spanish striker Alexia Putellas claimed the Ballon d’Or Féminin, marking her third win of the accolade, on a night rich with Spanish representation at the London Palladium this past Monday.

In a remarkable season with the formidable German club, Kane tallied 61 goals in all competitions for Bayern, which included 36 goals in 31 Bundesliga matches. Additionally, as captain of the Three Lions, Kane guided England to its finest World Cup finish in sixty years, securing third place.

Kane was visibly moved as he received the award, the first such honor in his career.

“I can hardly find the words,” Kane stated, while expressing gratitude to his teammates in attendance and his family, among others, describing playing for Bayern Munich as “an absolute privilege.”

He outshone two major soccer stars, French captain Kylian Mbappé and young Spanish sensation Lamine Yamal, for the award. Although Yamal again fell short of the top honor—finishing second to Ousmane Dembélé last year and third this time—he did capture his third consecutive Kopa Trophy, awarded to the best player under 21.

Kane was also named Striker of the Year, alongside Charlyn Corral from Mexico and CF Pachuca, an award presented to leading scorers globally.

On the women’s side, Putellas triumphed in the Ballon d’Or Féminin following an exceptionally competitive battle. Putellas, who plays as an attacking midfielder for London City Lionesses (formerly with Barcelona) and the Spanish national squad, made her return to the podium three years after claiming the award twice in 2021 and 2022. This hiatus was primarily due to an ACL injury that kept her sidelined for nearly two years.

England's soccer player Harry Kane and Spain's Alexia Putellas win the player of the year trophy during the Ballon d'Or ceremony at the London Palladium Theatre in London, England, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Alexia Putellas clinched the Ballon d’Or Féminin for the third time on Monday, while Harry Kane secured the trophy for the first time. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

(AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

During her speech, Putellas acknowledged the number of Barcelona players nominated for the award—five out of ten finalists were from Barça—and expressed gratitude to her family and friends for their support throughout her recovery from injury.

“I faced a challenging period and needed to learn to walk again on my knee; you were all there for me, helping me rediscover my love for the sport and shaping me into the player I am today,” Putellas remarked.

Three-time winner Aitana Bonmatí, a teammate of Putellas at both Barcelona and the Spanish national team, was unable to participate last year due to a serious leg injury, leading to her omission from the shortlist.

This appeared to create an opportunity for a first-time recipient, with nominees including Khadija “Bunny” Shaw from Manchester City (Jamaica) and Ewa Pajor from Barcelona (Poland). However, Putellas’ significance to a powerful Barcelona team last season was sufficient to keep the award in Spanish hands.

While Kane and Putellas took home the final accolades, the journey to reach that conclusion took considerable time. The ceremony itself, which experienced a 45-minute delay, became tedious, slowly diminishing the audience’s engagement as time progressed. An abrupt switch to commercial just before announcing the women’s Ballon d’Or was met with clear disapproval from an audience that had been uncharacteristically patient during the delays.

The prolonged ceremony followed yet another hiccup when the official Ballon d’Or website prematurely posted articles celebrating Kane, Yamal, and Mbappé— the top three finalists—winning the award hours before the actual results were unveiled. Those articles, which seemed to be placeholders in preparation for various potential outcomes, were removed prior to the ceremony.

In totality, it was a night dominated by Spanish accolades, with eight out of the twelve award winners associated with La Liga clubs, La Liga F clubs, or the Spanish national teams. FC Barcelona was named the best women’s club, with goalkeeper Cata Coll, head coach Pere Romeu, and young talent Vicky López also receiving their respective accolades.

The men’s Spanish national team, following its success in clinching its second World Cup title this summer, had notable representation: in addition to Yamal, coach Luis de la Fuente and goalkeeper Unai Simón also garnered recognition.

Rose Lavelle, midfielder for the U.S. women’s national team and Gotham FC, was the sole American on the shortlist for either category, finishing in 27th position out of a total of 30 nominees. (The Ballon d’Or, presented by “France Football” magazine and voted on by numerous international journalists, typically leans towards European players, which often contributes to the limited presence of Americans.)

Another USWNT member, 19-year-old OL Lyonnes midfielder Lily Yohannes, was among five finalists for the young talent award. Yohannes lost to Barcelona’s Vicky López, who claimed the Kopa Trophy for the second consecutive year.

Star NWSL forwards, Temwa Chawinga of Kansas City Current and Barbra Banda from Orlando Pride, ranked 10th and 18th, respectively.

Lionel Messi, star of Inter Miami and Argentina, potentially making his final Ballon d’Or appearance following his announcement of international retirement, secured fifth place in the men’s voting. Over his career, Messi has claimed the award a record eight times, with his inaugural win occurring in 2009.

Another notable nominee was Vozinha, the 40-year-old goalkeeper for the Cape Verde national team, who captured the hearts of fans during the World Cup and earned a nomination for Goalkeeper of the Year, though he ultimately lost to Spain’s Unai Simón.

  • Young talent: Vicky López (Barcelona, Spain), Lamine Yamal (Barcelona, Spain)

  • Coach of the Year: Pere Romeu (Barcelona Femení), Luis de la Fuente (Spain men’s national team)

  • Goalkeeper of the Year: Cata Coll (Barcelona, Spain), Unai Simón (Athletic Bilbao, Spain)

  • Club of the Year: FC Barcelona (women’s), Paris Saint-Germain (men’s)

  • Top scorer: Charlyn Corral (CF Pachuca, Mexico), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich, England)

  • Ballon d’Or Féminin: Alexia Putellas (London City Lionesses, Spain)

  • Ballon d’Or: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich, England)